It's Worth Sharing
My stake is currently collecting conversion stories from our families to compile in a book. We've had this goal for MONTHS, and I literally just got around to it.... because, if it's not right in front of me, I won't do it. Anyway, today I finally got my grandparents conversion story from my daddy. And.... I thought I would share it with you. Because, really, it's worth sharing.
My grandparents were living in the Phoenix area when the Elders knocked on their door one day. They let them in, and the missionaries started teaching them the discussions. My dad was 6 years old at the time, and remembers being taught through the use of film strips displayed on the house wall. In July of 1967, my grandparents and their oldest son, my uncle Robert, were baptized into the church. They started attending the Spanish Branch in Avondale, and went for a little more than a year and a half before they stopped attending.... shortly after, a friend in the ward started coming by and picking up all the children to attend church. Because of this, my dad got baptized right before he turned 9, and he and his siblings continued going to the Spanish Branch with this friend.
When my dad started high school, his Branch President asked him if he would like to attend seminary. My dad had never heard of seminary, but he said yes, and started attending. His freshman year of high school they studied the Book of Mormon, and my dad read the Book of Mormon for the first time in his life.
Dad graduated from High School and started school at ASU. He wanted to go to school before he started thinking of a mission, but after his first year there, he decided to drop out, get a job, and serve a mission. He was originally called to Mexico, but could not get a Visa, so was reassigned to Provo for 3 months, then San Diego for 3 months, then got his final reassignment to Puerto Rico, where he served for a year and one month, because while my dad was on his mission the Church changed the length of Elders missions from 2 years to 18 months.
My grandparents never went back to church, and only about half of my dad's siblings are active in the church to this day. As I was asking my dad questions about why he kept going, or why he stayed active in the church when it would have been simple to stop, he said it's because he knew he was supposed to. When he read the Book of Mormon for the first time his freshman year of high school, he knew it was TRUE. He served a mission because it's what he knew he needed to do. He gained a testimony, and kept going because he knew it was TRUE.
That love of the Book of Mormon is what kept my dad confident in his testimony of the Church. The love of the Book of Mormon is what pushed him to serve a mission, and later marry my perfect mother in the temple. It's what pushed him to attend law school in his late 30's, and move us to Albuquerque when he graduated. It's what gave him the confidence to uproot my mom once more and move them to the middle of no-where Idaho (Ok.... Boise isn't the middle of no-where... but... still). It's what he clings to now, as his sickness takes away more and more of him.
When I reflect back on my life and think back on memories with my dad, one of the strongest ones is my dad waking us up with the BYU Cougars fight song to go read the scriptures every morning ("Rise and Shout!..."). We had family scripture study every day, and my parents had us read the Book of Mormon every other year (so, one year we'd read the Book of Mormon, the next we'd read the New Testament, then back to the Book of Mormon, etc.). It's why I have such a deep testimony and love of the Book of Mormon. I'm actually almost finished reading it again - I've lost track of how many times I've read it at this point - and am amazed at how much I fall in love with it even more every time I read it. When I think of why I love the Book of Mormon so much, I think of my dad's testimony. Oh, of course I've studied it out and prayed about it for myself, but, it's really the love that my dad has of the Book of Mormon that pushed me to gain my testimony.
Something that stood out to me when my dad was telling me this conversion story was the fact that there were a handful of people who were influential in why my dad is a member - the Elders, my grandparents, the friend that drove them to church, his Branch President, his seminary teacher.... These were all people who chose to do something. They took the small action of inviting or accepting, and in so doing CHANGED the course of my dad's LIFE.
AND, by doing that, changed MINE.
What would have happened if those Elders hadn't knocked? If my grandparents hadn't said yes? If the friend hadn't offered to drive them to church every week? If the Branch President hadn't invited my dad to seminary? If my dad hadn't said yes? Those few small choices changed the course of the Elizondo family.
My family.
Me.
I'm where I am today because of those small acts people took to do something, and other people's responses to them.
The last talk President Monson gave at General Conference last April was about the importance of the Book of Mormon. Super simple. Super short. And yet, SUPER POWERFUL.
Readers. Don't underestimate the influence you have on a persons life. Much like Abinadi in the Book of Mormon, I don't know if the Elders who first knocked on my grandparents door knew the impact they were about to make on this 6 year old boys life, but I'm so glad they did. I'm so grateful my grandparents said yes. I'm so grateful for that friend who drove them to church. I'm so grateful for a Branch President who encouraged my dad to attend seminary, and a wonderful seminary teacher who encouraged his students to read the Book of Mormon. And, of course, I'm grateful to my dad for choosing to ACT. Readers. Do not underestimate the power of your CHOICES. Those small, seemingly unimportant decisions are why I'm here today. And I'm so glad I'm HERE.
My grandparents and me at my baptism
My grandparents were living in the Phoenix area when the Elders knocked on their door one day. They let them in, and the missionaries started teaching them the discussions. My dad was 6 years old at the time, and remembers being taught through the use of film strips displayed on the house wall. In July of 1967, my grandparents and their oldest son, my uncle Robert, were baptized into the church. They started attending the Spanish Branch in Avondale, and went for a little more than a year and a half before they stopped attending.... shortly after, a friend in the ward started coming by and picking up all the children to attend church. Because of this, my dad got baptized right before he turned 9, and he and his siblings continued going to the Spanish Branch with this friend.
Grandparents!
The Elizondo familia, back in the day!
Dad graduated from High School and started school at ASU. He wanted to go to school before he started thinking of a mission, but after his first year there, he decided to drop out, get a job, and serve a mission. He was originally called to Mexico, but could not get a Visa, so was reassigned to Provo for 3 months, then San Diego for 3 months, then got his final reassignment to Puerto Rico, where he served for a year and one month, because while my dad was on his mission the Church changed the length of Elders missions from 2 years to 18 months.
My grandparents never went back to church, and only about half of my dad's siblings are active in the church to this day. As I was asking my dad questions about why he kept going, or why he stayed active in the church when it would have been simple to stop, he said it's because he knew he was supposed to. When he read the Book of Mormon for the first time his freshman year of high school, he knew it was TRUE. He served a mission because it's what he knew he needed to do. He gained a testimony, and kept going because he knew it was TRUE.
That love of the Book of Mormon is what kept my dad confident in his testimony of the Church. The love of the Book of Mormon is what pushed him to serve a mission, and later marry my perfect mother in the temple. It's what pushed him to attend law school in his late 30's, and move us to Albuquerque when he graduated. It's what gave him the confidence to uproot my mom once more and move them to the middle of no-where Idaho (Ok.... Boise isn't the middle of no-where... but... still). It's what he clings to now, as his sickness takes away more and more of him.
When I reflect back on my life and think back on memories with my dad, one of the strongest ones is my dad waking us up with the BYU Cougars fight song to go read the scriptures every morning ("Rise and Shout!..."). We had family scripture study every day, and my parents had us read the Book of Mormon every other year (so, one year we'd read the Book of Mormon, the next we'd read the New Testament, then back to the Book of Mormon, etc.). It's why I have such a deep testimony and love of the Book of Mormon. I'm actually almost finished reading it again - I've lost track of how many times I've read it at this point - and am amazed at how much I fall in love with it even more every time I read it. When I think of why I love the Book of Mormon so much, I think of my dad's testimony. Oh, of course I've studied it out and prayed about it for myself, but, it's really the love that my dad has of the Book of Mormon that pushed me to gain my testimony.
Something that stood out to me when my dad was telling me this conversion story was the fact that there were a handful of people who were influential in why my dad is a member - the Elders, my grandparents, the friend that drove them to church, his Branch President, his seminary teacher.... These were all people who chose to do something. They took the small action of inviting or accepting, and in so doing CHANGED the course of my dad's LIFE.
AND, by doing that, changed MINE.
What would have happened if those Elders hadn't knocked? If my grandparents hadn't said yes? If the friend hadn't offered to drive them to church every week? If the Branch President hadn't invited my dad to seminary? If my dad hadn't said yes? Those few small choices changed the course of the Elizondo family.
My family.
Me.
I'm where I am today because of those small acts people took to do something, and other people's responses to them.
The last talk President Monson gave at General Conference last April was about the importance of the Book of Mormon. Super simple. Super short. And yet, SUPER POWERFUL.
Readers. Don't underestimate the influence you have on a persons life. Much like Abinadi in the Book of Mormon, I don't know if the Elders who first knocked on my grandparents door knew the impact they were about to make on this 6 year old boys life, but I'm so glad they did. I'm so grateful my grandparents said yes. I'm so grateful for that friend who drove them to church. I'm so grateful for a Branch President who encouraged my dad to attend seminary, and a wonderful seminary teacher who encouraged his students to read the Book of Mormon. And, of course, I'm grateful to my dad for choosing to ACT. Readers. Do not underestimate the power of your CHOICES. Those small, seemingly unimportant decisions are why I'm here today. And I'm so glad I'm HERE.
Your father, a good friend of his, and your Uncle Jesus, were my lifelines during his days at GCC. He truly gave me many hours of advice, friendship, encouragement, and priesthood blessings. I cherish those days, they are some of my fondest memories. He was always good at giving great spiritual advice plus really getting me to do things I didn't want to do, but I new I should. Taking business calculus was one that I really question, but it really built uup my confidence. Your Dad has really been an inspiration to me as well as you Mom, they are very strong and valiant people. I am grateful to call them my friends. Thanks for your story. Your grandparents, some of your aunts and uncles might not be active but what hearts they all have! I am so glad the Lord always looks upon the heart! Thanks for writing this!
ReplyDeleteSharynn Moore